ATTRACTIONS
The city of Lisbon is rich in architecture; Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Baroque, Modern and Postmodern construction can be found all over Lisbon. The city is also crossed by historical boulevards and monuments along the main thoroughfares.
There are several substantial museums one can visit in the city. The most famous ones are the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (National Museum of Ancient Art), the Museu Nacional do Traje e da Moda (National Museum of Costume and Fashion), the Museu da Electricidade (Electricity Museum), the Museu Nacional dos Coches (National Coach Museum, containing the largest collection of royal coaches in the world), the Museum of Pharmacy, the National Museum of Natural History and Science, Museum of the Orient, the Museu do Teatro Romano (The Roman Theatre Museum), and the Lisbon City Museum.
HISTORY
Lisbon is the capital and the largest city of Portugal. The city was probably founded around 1200 BC by the Phoenicians, who traded from its port and called it Alis-Ubo making it one of the oldest cities in the world, and the oldest city in Western Europe.
The city flourished as a trading center during the four centuries of Moorish rule, and the Alfama—Lisbon's oldest district—retains its intricate Arab-influenced layout.
The next great period — that of os descobrimentos (the discoveries) — began with the 15th-century voyages led by the great Portuguese navigators to India, Africa, and Brazil. During this era, Vasco de Gama set sail for the Indies in 1497–99 and Brazil was discovered in 1500. The wealth realized by these expeditions was phenomenal: gold, jewels, ivory, porcelain, and spices helped finance grand buildings and impressive commercial activity. Late-Portuguese Gothic architecture — called Manueline (after the king Dom Manuel I) — assumed a rich, individualistic style, characterized by elaborate sculptural details, often with a maritime motif. The Torre de Belém and the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Belém's tower and monastery), both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are supreme examples of this period.
In addition, the mosaic Portuguese pavement (Calçada Portuguesa) was born in Lisbon, in the mid-1800s. The art has since spread to the rest of the Portuguese Speaking world. The city remains one of the most expansive examples of the technique, nearly all walkways and even many streets being created and maintained in this style.
CLIMATE
Lisbon has a subtropical-Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm to hot summers. The average annual temperature is 21.5 °C (70.7 °F) during the day and 13.5 °C (56.3 °F) at night. Average annual temperature of the sea is 17.5 °C (63.5 °F).
TRANSPORTATION
Lisbon's public transport network is extremely far-reaching and reliable. The Lisbon Metro acts as its main artery, connecting the city centre with the upper and eastern districts, as well as now reaching the suburbs.
